Mega Evolutions ReturnAmong the few details revealed with this morning’s announcement was the cover art for the two games. Like their inspiration, Ruby and Sapphire, Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre appear, but they look a little different. The reasonable assumption to be made here is that what we’re seeing on the cover are Groudon and Kyogre’s Mega Evolutions – a mechanic established in Pokémon X& Y, which I think is safe to say people really like. I’m sure there will be more Pokémon with new Mega Evolutions, and the fact that these two are Legendary Pokémon opens up some interesting doors about who might have Mega Evolutions in the next entry.

"An Epic New Adventure Is Coming"Omega Ruby And Alpha Sapphire are related to the 2003 Game Boy Advance Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire titles, but it’s unclear if it’s a remake or something more than that. Previous remakes like FireRed and LeafGreen, and HeartGold and SoulSilver certainly added a lot of new content to those original games, but the wording “New Adventure” seems to be hinting at possibly something more than just a remake. The press releases announcing the game also uses the phrase “new adventure” when it said, “Pokémon fans will collect, battle, and trade Pokémon in a new adventure.”

"Explore A Dramatic New World"Similar to the previous entry above, the other quote that appeared in the teaser trailer seems to hint at something more than a just a visually upgraded Hoenn region. The words “New World” imply something more than that. Also, the use of “Dramatic” is interesting. We recently spoke with series producer Junichi Masuda about injecting more romance and drama into the game and he said, “In the future, I think I may add more romantic elements if I can do it in a fun way. However, I don't think I want to take it in a direction that shows people fighting or a relationship falling apart.”

The press release for the game also made sure to use the world “dramatic” with the text, "Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire are a fresh take on Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire, which launched in 2003 and were fan-favorite hits on the Game Boy Advance system. The new titles promise to take players through a dramatic story within a spectacular new world." Maybe we will see more emotion and interpersonal drama from the assorted trainers in this new entry.

A Whole New Generation Alongside the admittedly limited evidence pointing toward Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire offering more new than old, there is some text on the official Pokémon website that softens that idea.

Pokémon fans first enjoyed Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version when it launched in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance. Now, a whole new generation of Pokémon fans will experience the dramatic storyline that unfolds in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire.

The wording of that paragraph seems to point more towards Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire offering the opportunity for new players to experience the game for the first time. That explanation doesn’t shout new adventure, or new world, but this text was also relegated to the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire section of the Pokémon website.

Was This Teased In Pokémon X & Y?In the same conversation where we spoke with Masuda about the romance of Pokémon in our X & Y Afterwords, we asked about some of that game’s dialogue and if it was meant to be a tease of a Ruby and Sapphire remake. In the game you can find people in the world saying things like, "The 40th wedding anniversary is the ruby anniversary, and the 45th is sapphire," and another that says, "My dad's older brother – that's my uncle, you know – lives in the Hoenn region." Finally, there is a traveler you will meet who says, "The Kalos region is nice and all, but you should really check out my region!" At the time of the interview, Masuda said, “Travelers play the role of characters who have come from other regions. We put them in the game to make sure people know that the new region is connected with the rest of the world.”

Pikachu ReturnsPikachu appears in the trailer’s opening logo, which is a pretty good indicator that he will be among the roster of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Also, he’s Pikachu. I don’t think Nintendo or the Pokémon Company would ever release a Pokémon entry without him.